


The Odd Case of Ms. Bora

by Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat



Series: The Smiling Twenties [5]
Category: Smile For Me (Video Game)
Genre: 1920s, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Gen, Non-Graphic Violence, Threats of Violence, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-22 15:18:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21304226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat/pseuds/Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat
Summary: “I...okay, let’s go over this again,” Parsley said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. “You were spotted leaving the scene of the crime with a knife. And your defense is…?”“I was in the area and saw the struggle. I wanted to help, but I wasn’t sure who was in the right. I went into the alley way and struggled with one of them for a weapon. I didn’t do any actual harm to anyone, the man was shot and the others ran. I took the knife with me, I didn’t know what else to do!” Parsley slammed his head against his desk. “What’s the problem Botch?”“I’ve heard three different stories from you now! Which one is true?” He asked. The dame just shrugged. Parsley groaned.
Relationships: Jimothan Botch & Parsley Botch, Kamal Bora/Dr. Boris Habit
Series: The Smiling Twenties [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1500791
Comments: 5
Kudos: 39





	The Odd Case of Ms. Bora

**Author's Note:**

> I...struggled a lot with different parts of this fic, but I think it came out well enough! Hey! This au has a blog now! Pleae check out @thesmiling20s on tumblr! May and I will answer any questions, and we have a run down of characters! Please read the guidelines though, those are very important... I hope you enjoy!

“I...okay, let’s go over this again,” Parsley said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. “You were spotted leaving the scene of the crime with a knife. And your defense is…?”

“I was in the area and saw the struggle. I wanted to help, but I wasn’t sure who was in the right. I went into the alley way and struggled with one of them for a weapon. I didn’t do any actual harm to anyone, the man was shot and the others ran. I took the knife with me, I didn’t know what else to do!” Parsley slammed his head against his desk. “What’s the problem Botch?”

“I’ve heard three different stories from you now! Which one is true?” He asked. The dame just shrugged. Parsley groaned. 

Being a public defender was a great thing most of the time. He got to help people down on their luck, people who couldn’t afford a “real” lawyer. He loved his job, it was a sense of stability. The problem was...sometimes he had to defend people who were so obviously guilty. Then again, Martin had complained of the same problem before. He supposed any lawyer had to defend some guilty people from time to time. Poor Martin, he was so torn up when… Parsley shook his head to try and clear his thoughts. He didn’t need to think about his ex-husband right now. He stared at the woman in front of him, who looked as relaxed as possible. 

Ms. Bora was an odd case. She was spotted leaving a suspected mob shoot out with a bloody knife. At first she’d denied it completely, but now she kept coming up with different excuses. None of them were very solid. She was very obviously guilty. But...well, she didn’t seem nervous at all. Most people he defended who were guilty looked terrified. Ms. Bora wasn’t scared in the slightest. Additionally, she was always dressed nicely. She very clearly had money, she could’ve hired any lawyer she liked. But, she decided to go with a public defender, and joy of joys! She’d gotten Parsley.

“You’ve got my statement Botch. I don’t have any evidence, I trashed the knife. Who knows where it is by now?” She said, kicking her feet up on Parsley’s desk. He sighed and gently moved them off. She raised an eyebrow, but grinned. “C’mon Botch, loosen up. We’re gonna win. You’re an amazing lawyer!”

“You’ve...you’ve never seen me work before,” Parsley said. Her smile grew.

“That you know of.” Parsley felt a chill run up his spine.

She’d been saying things like that too, little hints that she knew more about him than she let on. Like...like she’d studied him or something. Like she knew his life. 

“Look, I...the trial is in two days. You need to tell me the truth. Or at least settle on one story! I can’t make a defense if you’ve got all these different ideas bouncing around in my head,” Parsley said. Ms. Bora raised an eyebrow. 

“So...you know I did it?” She asked. Parsley jumped.

“Are you confessing? Because I can use that against you.” She laughed. 

“Of course not! It was a joke! Geez Botch, you need to lighten up! You’re a mess of nerves.” She put her feet on his desk, and he shoved them off, harder this time.

“Listen Bora! You’ve got two days! I know you’re guilty, and if you keep it up, everyone else will too! Do you want to spend the next five to ten years in jail? Because I can assure you, with the company you’ll keep there, it will not be pleasant!” Parsley yelled. For once, Ms. Bora seemed to be a little sober about this.

“Listen Botch. There’s things going on behind the scenes that you don’t know about. I will get off. I won’t go to jail. You just need to do your part to make it look like I don’t have to.” Parsley shrunk back. She hadn’t even stood, but her presence in the room shifted. Despite being only five feet tall, he felt like she was towering over him. And, again, she hadn’t even stood. 

“What...what kind of things?” He asked. She just smiled.

“You know, I think you’ll find out soon.” She did stand now, and turned to leave. “Our hour is up. I’ll see you tomorrow, and then the day after that for the trial. Try not to die in the meantime.” She left his office, and he relaxed. But only for a moment.

What did she mean, try not to die?

* * *

Parsley was on his way to the Habitat when it happened. He needed a stiff drink, and maybe to vent to his dad. Work was a popular topic of conversation between the two of them. Well, Parsley’s work anyway. Jimothan didn’t open up about his job much, and Parsley didn’t want to know. If he knew enough about how the Habiticians worked, he might be tempted to turn them in. And that’d be a down side for him and his dad. So...they talked about Parsley’s job. It was better than their personal lives. They still needed time. Although Jimothan was beginning to give away little snippets of information.

He didn’t even get to talk to his dad that night though. 

Something felt off as soon as he left his apartment. He wasn’t sure what, but something was wrong. He sped up slightly, and that’s when he heard footsteps behind him. He glanced behind him, and saw a tall, thin figure following him. He shook his head. There was always the possibility that they were just going in the same direction. He tried to keep his gait even, but found himself unconsciously speeding up. As he did, so heard the footsteps behind him speed up as well. Suddenly, the person behind him began running. He froze, and watched them brush past him into an alley. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Still...he couldn’t help but be curious. He peeked in the alley, and a hand quickly grabbed his collar. He yelped as he was shoved roughly against a wall.

“Parsley Botch?” A deep voice with a Russian accent asked. Parsley gasped when he saw the streetlight’s light glint off a weapon. “Is that your name?”

“Y-yes,” Parsley said, his voice very shaky. 

“I understand that you have a trial upcoming with a certain...Ms. Bora,” the voice said. Parsley noticed that there were actually two men in the alley. The one pinning him to the wall was the tall skinny one who had been following him, but there was a much larger, much more intimidating figure in the back of the alley. Said figure flicked a lighter, and Parsley caught a glimpse of dangerous orange eyes. The man just lit a cigarette and put the lighter away. “Tell me, how is that going?”

“I...why do you want to know?” Parsley asked. The man pinning him to the wall tightened his grip and Parsley gasped. “Well! We’re getting our finishing statement tomorrow! She seems confident!”

“Good...I knew мое солнце would know what she’s doing.” Parsley felt the man holding him jerk slightly. “Calm yourself Wallus. It’s just for his sake.” The taller figure came closer and Parsley gulped. “A bit of friendly advice...ask the witness what clothes she was wearing at the scene of the crime. It will help you greatly.” The man leaned in close, so close Parsley could feel the heat from the cigarette. “We know where to find you if things go wrong Mr. Botch. And...don’t mention this little meeting to anyone. Not even Ms. Bora.” Parsley nodded, and the man put his cigarette out right next to Parsley’s head. The other man dropped him and Parsley only then realized that he’d been lifted off the ground slightly. “Увидимся,” the taller man said, before the two of them disappeared further into the alley. 

Parsley stood, frozen, on shaking legs, for just a few minutes. He held his breath, waiting for them to return. But...no, no one came. He walked, cautiously, out of the alley and back to his apartment. He didn’t go on to the Habitat, he was too terrified. He wanted to run, he was internally screaming at his legs to run, but he could only stumble, almost drunkenly, back home. He could barely drag himself up the stairs to his apartment, and collapsed as soon as the door was shut. He could barely think. 

After lying on the floor for a while and waiting for someone to kick the door down and kill him, he slowly climbed into his bed. He stared at the opposite wall, unable to sleep. He half expected someone to burst into the door any moment and drag him off to be thrown in the Hudson with some cement shoes. She shivered and pulled the blankets up around him. They didn’t stop the shivering, but they made him feel safer. The phone rang some time around six in the morning, but he didn’t move to answer it. He didn’t move until eight, and only because he had a meeting with Ms. Bora.

He had a feeling that he really couldn’t miss it.

* * *

“I didn’t do it,” Parsley groaned, but Ms. Bora quickly continued. “I know I didn’t do it. That’s my story, that’s what we’re telling the jury, that’s what happened. No more changing. I didn’t do it.” Parsley nodded but still put his head in his hands. “C’mon Botch, you told me to pick a story. I did.”

“I should be using you trying to come up with ‘stories’ as evidence against you,” he said. She raised an eyebrow.

“Should be? What’s stopping you?” Parsley sighed and looked at her. She looked...knowing. He wanted to ask so badly, but he’d been told not to.

“Well...I want you to go free if you’re innocent.” She smiled. 

“I like you Botch. You’re a terrible liar, but I like you.” It was his turn to grin at her, and she seemed taken aback.

“You haven’t seen me in court. Just you wait Ms. Bora, we’ll see who’s scaring who then.” She didn’t even comment on scaring him, just nodded.

* * *

“I call Mr. Jackson to the stand,” Parsley said, staring down the main witness. Well, the only witness. Really, they didn’t have much to go on. No evidence, only one witness...it wasn’t much of a case at all. Parsley watched as their witness walked over to the stand. He glanced at Ms. Bora, who looked calm and collected. Still, her leg was bouncing nervously. “Mr. Jackson, can you tell us again what you saw that night?”

“I heard gunshots real close to my apartment. I called the coppers and went to go see if there was anything I could do. I was a medic in the war, see? I wondered if there was something I could do to help.” Parsley nodded and gestured for the man to continue speaking. “Well, I got out just as things were winding down and...I saw her-” he pointed at Ms. Bora. “-sneaking off with a bloody knife!” Parsley nodded, and glanced at Ms. Bora. She was just looking at the witness. 

“And...you don’t have the knife?”

“Why would I? She should have it!” 

“Her entire house was searched, there were no knives except those in the kitchen.” The jury muttered to each other. Parsley took a deep breath. “And, I may ask, what was my client wearing when you saw her leaving the scene of the crime?” The whole room fell quiet. Ms. Bora did stand up though.

“I hardly see how that matters, it’s just clothes.”

“Please, answer the question.” The witness cleared his throat.

“Men’s clothes. A suit to be exact.” 

“Objection! I would never!” Ms. Bora yelled. The room flew into a flurry of murmurs. 

“Order in the court!” The judge called, banging his gavel. Parsley nodded as the room got quiet.

“You’re saying that my client, a woman full of grace and composer would wear men’s clothes to commit a crime? It seems highly unlikely to me…” he said.

“I know what I saw, and I saw that chick sneaking off with a bloody knife! I don’t care what she was wearing! I know what I saw!” The witness stood and began to yell angrily. Ms. Bora burst into tears and the jury began to mutter again. 

“No further questions your honor. The defense rests our case,” Parsley said. He went back to sit beside Ms. Bora and handed her his handkerchief. She took it and wiped her eyes. He could’ve sworn he saw her wink at him.

“The prosecution rests as well,” their opponent said. 

“Gentlemen, please make your closing statements.” 

Parsley watched as the prosecution made their closing statements. It seemed almost like begging at this point. There was no evidence, and Parsley had managed to pick apart the man’s testimony. Maybe...maybe Ms. Bora was innocent after all? Parsley shook his head slightly. If she had been innocent, he wouldn’t’ve been threatened. Maybe she had people close to her that were involved in the mafia, and she’d simply been trying to help them? Anything was possible. She kept on crying, although she wasn’t sobbing anymore, and she was letting Parsley comfort her. The jury kept glancing at her. After a moment, Parsley stood to deliver his closing statement.

“Gentlemen of the jury, I’d like to ask you how you could potentially believe such a preposterous story. My client is just a woman in her thirties trying to survive without a husband. She works at a laundromat, she spends her days on her own in her house, she’s just a sweet woman. In the time I’ve spent with her, I see no reason why she would do these things. There is no evidence, it’s his word against hers. He could’ve seen any man commit this crime. We should be spending our time finding him instead of accusing a poor woman! With no evidence, I see no reason to convict her. I implore you, think long and hard about your decision. I hope that justice will prevail today.” He turned and went to sit by Ms. Bora. She handed him his handkerchief and smiled at him. Possibly the first genuine smile he’d seen from her.

There was a long half hour wait while the jury came to their verdict. Ms. Bora didn’t seem nervous in the slightest, but Parsley noticed that she kept glancing at him oddly. He wasn’t sure why, other than the fact that she might’ve been worried about his performance. He glanced over at the prosecution and found them biting their nails. He couldn’t help smiling, he liked seeing them nervous. It meant he had done his job well. The jury reentered the room, and he sat up straighter. This was it.

“We find the defendant-” Parsley noticed that Ms. Bora winced at her full name. He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t get the chance to say anything. “-not guilty.” Ms. Bora cheered and quickly latched herself onto Parsley. He yelped and awkwardly pat her head.

“Thank you Botch!” She said, grinning like a mad man. “Thank you so much!” He laughed awkwardly and tried to push her away. She let him, but stood quickly to kiss his cheek. He jumped. “Thank you for everything!”

“Y-yeah. No problem,” he said. He really hoped he’d done the right thing.

* * *

“She sounds like a real piece of work.” Parsley nodded and took a long sip of his drink. He had made his way into the Habitat after work that day, and had quickly sought out his dad to talk about his newly closed case. Jimothan was sticking by him as best as he could, trying to help him forget about the oddness of the case. Although Parsley hadn’t told him about the threat. He was still too scared.

“Botch! You got a sec?” Parsley turned to see two men coming over to their area of the bar. They both looked familiar somehow…

“What’s shaking boss?” Jimothan asked. The shorter man smiled.

“Not you. The other Botch,” he said, looking Parsley in the eye. Parsley jumped. The accent, the eyes, the smile…

“You!” He yelped. The man just smiled wider. 

“Kamal Bora. It’s nice to actually meet you Botch,” the man, Kamal, said. “Jimothan, could you give the three of us a moment alone? We’d like to take to Parsley here.” Jimothan put the glass he’d been cleaning down hard on the bar.

“I don’t know if I’m comfortable with that,” he said. Parsley silently thanked his dad. The taller man raised an eyebrow.

“Jimothan, please. We will not hurt him,” he said. Parsley froze. That was the man who’d threatened him. The one with the lighter. Oh god, he was dead.

“If you say so boss,” Jimothan said. He walked off, but Parsley noticed he kept an eye on the three of them. The two men sat on opposite sides of Parsley.

“I think you’ve already met my partner here Botch. This is Boris Habit, and, as I said before, my name is Kamal Bora.” Parsley nodded dumbly. “We’d...like to offer you a position.”

“I…” Parsley gulped. “Why the hell should I trust you?” Kamal smiled, and even Boris seemed amused.

“I told you he was feisty,” they both said at the same time. They laughed, and Parsley shrunk into his chair slightly. 

“No, seriously. You threatened me!” He said, turning to Boris.

“I only wanted to deliver the piece of evidence you needed to get ‘Ms. Bora’ off,” he said. “We needed it to be confidential as well. No one else could know.” 

“A-and you! You lied to the law about your gender! How’d you even do that?” Kamal smiled, and something in his eyes was different.

“I appreciate it Botch. Most shmoes think I’m lying when I wear the suit. It’s not exactly what my parents wanted after all. But hey! If you’re a man, you’ve gotta dress like one,” Kamal said. Parsley nodded. 

“I...what’s your proposition?” Parsley asked.

“Well...we can’t just pay off or threaten the jury every time. And we couldn’t even get to some of them this time. But you!” Kamal said, gesturing excitedly at Parsley. “You’re an amazing lawyer! If you come work for us, helping anyone who get arrested in our gang, maybe making up some evidence, we’ll pay you handsomely.” Parsley glanced between the two of them, so fast his head seemed to be spinning off his body. 

“You are protected by the way,” Boris said. “We wouldn’t hurt a hair on your head. We wouldn’t want to upset Jimothan. And...we wouldn’t want to hurt anyone we don’t have to.” Something in Boris’ expression made Parsley believe him. 

“I…” He gulped again. “No. I can’t do that. I became a public defender to help people who couldn’t afford the help they needed. I’m not going to take your dirty money.” Both men nodded and stood up. Parsley shrunk in on himself, but they didn’t seem to be trying to attack him.

“Let us know if you ever change your mind. You know where to find us,” Boris said. Parsley nodded, still in shock. They began to walk off, when something dawned on Parsley. 

“What about that kiss?” He shouted after them. Kamal just turned and winked at him, and he couldn’t help blushing.

“Kiss?” Parsley jumped and flailed about until he was facing the bar again. Jimothan was standing there, looking concerned. “Son? You alright?” 

“I...just...get me a double.” He was shaking. “And please don’t ever bring me up to your bosses. Please..”

“I...you got it champ,” Jimothan said, before going to mix the drink for Parsley.

He knew that his dad did illegal things. He knew that not everyone he defended was innocent. He knew that he, himself, did questionable things, his own existence at this speakeasy proved that. But he was a good person! He’d never hurt of kill anyone, that couldn’t possibly be moral! But...people he sent to jail...some of them got the death penalty. Did that count? Had he killed someone? He was still a good person. But his dad...his dad was a good person too, even if he was in the mob. But he never killed anyone! Parsley put his head down on the bar. He could never take on this job, he’d be hurting people. He couldn’t take this job, he just couldn’t.

Could he?


End file.
